TORONTO – Plenty of Canadian Junior Hockey League alumni are continuing to excel behind the bench.
The 2024-25 season saw 78 CJHL alums serve as a head coach at various upper levels throughout North America – including 26 out of the Ontario Junior Hockey League alone.
This includes 11 ex-CJHLers who guided National Hockey League clubs during the most recent campaign.
Four more led American Hockey League teams, while 13 others were head coaches in the ECHL.
You also had 15 CJHL alumnus running university programs in U SPORTS as well as 22 others coaching in the major junior ranks.
Here’s the list of OJHL alumni who were head coaches at upper levels this past season:
| HEAD COACHES’ | NAME | TEAM | LEAGUE | CJHL TEAM(S) |
| Sheldon | Keefe | New Jersey Devils | NHL | Bramalea Blues |
| Dan | Bylsma | San Jose Sharks | NHL | Oakville Blades |
| Trent | Cull | Calgary Wranglers | AHL | Georgetown Raiders |
| B.J. | Adams | Allen Americans | ECHL | North York Rangers |
| Phillip | Barski | Bloomington Bison | ECHL | Milton Merchants |
| Stouffville Spirit | ||||
| Mississauga Chargers | ||||
| Newmarket Hurricanes | ||||
| Jason | Payne | Cincinnati Cyclones | ECHL | Toronto Patriots |
| Duncan | Dalmao | Indy Fuel | ECHL | Royal York Rangers |
| Brandon | Mashinter | Jacksonville Icemen | ECHL | Thornhill Thunderbirds |
| Tad | O’Had | Kansas City Mavericks | ECHL | Port Hope Clippers |
| Stuart | Stefan | Huntsville Havoc | SPHL | Burlington Cougars |
| Dan | Bremner | Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs | SPHL | Huntsville Otters |
| T.J. | Manastersky | Brock | U SPORTS | Georgetown Raiders |
| Oakville Blades | ||||
| Streetsville Derbys | ||||
| Andrew | Wilkins | Lakehead | U SPORTS | Collingwood Blues |
| Curtis | Hodgins | Ontario Tech | U SPORTS | Bowmanville Eagles |
| Brett | Gibson | Queen’s | U SPORTS | Kingston Voyageurs |
| Johnny | Duco | Toronto Metro | U SPORTS | Stouffville Spirit |
| Thornhill Islanders | ||||
| Wexford Raiders | ||||
| North York Rangers | ||||
| Russ | Herrington | York | U SPORTS | Markham Waxers |
| Marty | Williamson | OHL | Aurora Tigers | |
| Milton Merchants | ||||
| Markham Waxers | ||||
| James | Richmond | Brampton Steelheads | OHL | Georgetown Raiders |
| Paul | Flache | Flint Firebirds | OHL | Cobourg Cougars |
| Ben | Boudreau | Niagara IceDogs | OHL | Markham Waxers |
| Ryan | Oulahan | North Bay Battlion | OHL | Newmarket Hurricanes |
| Wexford Raiders | ||||
| Chris | Lazary | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | Port Hope Buzzards |
| John | Dean | Soo Greyhounds | OHL | North York Rangers |
| Thornhill Rattlers | ||||
| Greg | Walters | Windsor Spitfires | OHL | Georgetown Raiders |
| Daniel | Renaud | Shawinigan Cataractes | QMJHL | Dixie Bee Hives |
The following link lists the CJHL alumni who were the head coach of teams at higher levels this past season.
2024-25 CJHL ALUMNI BY LEAGUE
NHL: 61
AHL: 71
ECHL: 156
SPHL: 103
NCAA D-I: 317
U SPORTS: 530
NCAA D-III: 716
CHL: 210
EUROPE: 446
TOTAL: 2,610
HEAD COACHES: 78
(Photo by Amy Deroche/ OJHL Images)
